Odion straggled into the hallway, yawning on his way to the office. He regretted the decision of waking up to collect his final assessment report considering there was a good chance he failed most of his exams anyway—with the exception of Physical Education.

Odion saw a line of students standing in front of the secretary’s desk and cursed beneath his breath. The majority of them looked tense: some crossing their fingers, others saying quiet prayers to themselves until their names were called. Odion chuckled. It was amusing to see how they took their education so seriously.

“Lucidian Yulondis,” the secretary called, eyes darting across the room to see if she’d found her student. “Lucidian Yulondis,” she called again. Everyone in line looked around, nobody taking a claim to the name. She placed the envelope back into the drawer and moved on.

Students came and went as the line gradually became shorter. Odion pulled out his iPhone to check the time: 10:07 a.m. Five minutes had elapsed by the time the secretary had called him to receive his report. Odion took the envelope and headed toward the school’s back entrance. He paused before reaching the doors and slid his index finger across the envelope to break the seal.

For someone who appeared to have failed most of his courses, the envelope did seem a bit thick, as if there were more than just a report inside. Odion reached down and pulled out an invitation to tomorrow night’s Sauga Valley High School end-of-the-year celebration. I actually passed all of my exams.

After reading the invitation’s contents, he pulled out the actual report and had a curious look over his final grades. I got an 88 in 13th-century West African History, 79 in Advanced Functions, 96 in Phys Ed, and 80 in Digital Sociology.

With the lack of studying he completed, he was sure to have failed all of his courses, particularly Digital Sociology. His overall average seen on his report was 86%. One percent above the minimum invitational requirements. Not bad for someone who doesn’t care about his studies.

“Hey Odion!” a familiar voice called from down the hallway. Odion glanced across and saw Toki waving him over. Odion headed toward him and stuffed the invitation and report back into the envelope.

“Did you make it?” Toki asked, apprehension detected in his voice.

Odion arched his brows. “Did I make what?”

“Did you receive an invitation for tomorrow night?”

Odion nodded his head. “By one percent,” he said, looking at him with skeptical eyes. “You seem like you’ve witnessed a ghost or something, you okay?”

Toki laughed nervously, rubbing his hands through his hair. “It’s nothing, dude,” he said, but Odion wasn’t buying it. Both of them walked toward the gymnasium, Toki holding the door open for Odion to enter.

Many students worked diligently to have everything tried, tested, and set up before tomorrow night. Located above the stage was a big banner that read:

CONGRATULATIONS STUDENTS OF GRADE ELEVEN!!!!!

The walls were plastered with party signs, and from the ceiling hung various colors of decorative lanterns, along with silver hanging star chandeliers.

“You guys are really going all out with this dance tomorrow night,” Odion said, looking over to his side.

Toki nodded, directing a student on stage who was setting up the microphones. “Yeah, we’ve been here since seven-thirty getting things ready.” He switched to the student on stage. “Bring it more toward the center,” he said, pointing at the spot.

“You guys invited live bands to perform?” Odion asked.

“No, just your standard DJ equipment. Mr. Walters wouldn’t allow other artists to perform. I tried pitching the idea to him, but he dismissed it as nonsensical and a waste of money.” Toki rolled his eyes. “He claims he’d rather use the money on resources for the new building they plan to have up next year.”

Odion scoffed. “He’s full of shit anyway.”

“Rest the table near the wall in the corner,” one student said in passing, directing two others who were moving a step at a time. That’s probably where the punch was going to be served.

“Mic check one,” one of the students called on stage. “Testing, testing mic check one.” He gave the stagehand a thumbs up. There was a bit of muffling when he tried placing the microphone back on its stand.

A couple more students behind him had been setting up the lights above the stage. The stairs leading onto it had been surrounded with silvery glitter and LED string lights around the handles. Toki kept tapping his nose as if thinking about how he would come up with some money to help his parents pay this month’s rent.

“You seem awfully jittery today,” Odion said, resting a hand on his shoulder.

Toki removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “Just a lack of sleep,” he said, putting his glasses back on. Odion noticed the bags under them, but that wasn’t the only thing troubling him. There was obviously something of far more importance on his mind.

“Don’t lie to me, bruh. What’s going on?”

“Ugh …” Toki looked away toward the doors.

“Did someone die?” Odion asked.

“Goodness, no … at least I hope not.”

“Did … Yasmina change her mind at the last minute?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then what is it?”

Toki made brief eye contact before looking away again.

“You’re not worried over that cocksucker, Patrick, are you?”

Toki gave a faint nod of the head.

“Stop worrying yourself over that nigga,” Odion said. “Patrick is soft. He won’t do anything, and if he tries, I’ll whoop his ass again.” Odion smiled, patting Toki on his back.

“I’m more worried about you, to be honest,” Toki said.

Odion laughed. “What about me? I ain’t going nowhere.”

Toki bobbed his head, uncertain of what Odion said was true. “I certainly hope not, I mean—”

“Get to the point.” He gestured his hand in a circular motion. “What’s this really about?”

Toki rubbed at his eyes again before putting on back his glasses. “After my geology exam on Tuesday,” Toki paused, a paralyzing fear covering his face, “on my way back to my locker, I overheard some things on the stairwell that didn’t sit right with me.”

“What things?”

Toki sighed.

“What things?” Odion pressed for an answer.

“According to Jasper, Zulumel, and Dionte,” he paused, “Pat went and told Donovan about what happened.”

Toki went silent for a short period, Odion hoping he’d continue with his story. “And?”

“I don’t know man, from what I heard, it sounds like they’re planning something highly dangerous. They mentioned something about burners, and then they stepped outside.”

Odion shrugged his shoulders, a smile tugging at his lips. “And you believed ’em?” He looked Toki in his fearful eyes. “They’re just flapping gums, man.” Odion imitated a mouth with his hand. “It’s all talk with those guys.”

Toki arched his brows. “But you don’t know that.”

“I do know that. But, if what they say is true, I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Dude, if what they’re saying was true, you know Donovan’s not coming alone. He’s going to bring people, and his people are going to bring people. This is starting to get out of hand, man.”

“Bruh.” Odion pulled Toki over toward the corner near the doors and lifted his shirt, showing him the blade he stole from Patrick. “Don’t even worry about it, I got this.”

Toki widened his eyes. “What are you doing?” He looked at Odion like he was insane. “Are you seriously going to throw your life away? Did you not see what happened to Malachi?”

“I was in the front row when it happened. The only difference is I won’t get caught.”

“Odion,” Toki said, eyes dowsed with concern, “don’t do this to yourself. We both have bright futures ahead of us. Don’t throw your life away like how Malachi did.”

Toki was a good kid but terribly conservative at times. It seemed no one understood the kind of fuckery Donovan was allowed to get away with, and because he instilled fear amongst his peers, he would continue to get away with his crimes unless someone was bold enough to stand against him.

“You just don’t get it, do you?” Odion shook his head, leaning toward the exit until he was snatched back in by Toki’s hand.

“You’re the one who doesn’t seem to get it,” Toki said, his eyes dark. “If you follow through with your plans, you’re going to live to regret it, and although I wish I could stop you,” he paused, signaling to a student to give him a moment, “I can only hope you’re going into this for the right reasons. Look, I’m not trying to start another argument with you because I know this is a sensitive topic, but sometimes you have to ask yourself if it’s worth it. Serenity basically gave you the finger and told you she wants to figure her mess out on her own. I think it’s time you start doing what’s best for you.” Toki poked him twice on the shoulder before returning to his duties.

Odion stood near the door, digesting everything Toki had told him, and although he didn’t want to admit it, Toki was right. But it was too late to turn back. He had come too far. Odion pulled out his iPhone and thumbed through several of the messages he had sent to Serenity, all of them left on READ. He scoffed at the screen and turned his iPhone off before exiting the gymnasium.

Seeing that was disheartening, but what else could he have done? Perhaps he should’ve been a lot more selfish and followed what Toki was trying to tell him all along. Look after yourself and those who actually care about you. If what Toki said was accurate, and Donovan was coming after him, then one of them was going to die. It was just a matter of who got caught first.

Odion was going to do everything in his power to make sure it wasn’t him.

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